Renegade Revenge
by sheppardlover928
Summary: Kolya seeks revenge against Colonel Sheppard after his failed attempt to takeover Atlantis. He uses the relatives of those lost, to capture and exact his revenge.
1. Chapter 1

Unfortunately I do not own Stargate Atlantis, though I wish John Sheppard was up for grabs!

Renegade Revenge

Chapter One

John, Teyla, Rodney and Ronon sat at a table with the Chancellor Pontu and four members of his immediate staff sharing a meal to celebrate their new trade agreement. It had been a long, tedious afternoon of negotiating a the trade deal with the honorable Lafodi people. The previous years' trade agreement had needed revisions for both the Atlanteans and for the Lafodi.

With the technological advances the Atlantis botanists, engineers and scientists provided, the Lafodi crops had increased expotentially. With the proper irrigation and fertilization techniques, the soil became ideal for cultivation. The resulting bumper crops, which held many different varieties of fruits and vegetables had the Lafodi people ecstatic.

Before meeting the Atlanteans, the Lafodi barely grew enough for their own needs and what little they could afford to part with, they used for trade. Now, the abundance was equivalent to winning the lottery. They had ample supplies for themselves and more than enough for trade.

Over the last year, Atlantis also had its own "growth spurt". The population had increased by twenty per cent. The increase in population on Atlantis was putting a strain on their existing food supply, hence the need for a new trade agreement.

The Lafodi were acutely aware of their good fortune in meeting and trading with Atlantis. The negotiations had been long and tedious, only because Chancellor Pontu and his committee kept on insisting on a very generous offering to Atlantis' favor. It wasnt that Atlantis didnt need the food, but it was their policy to always negotiate a fair trade. They never wanted to be in the position for being accused of taking advantage. The afternoon had been spent with Teyla trying to even out the trade so that both sides benefitted equally. The Lafodi had proven to be a valuable ally and over the last year, steadfast friends.

John was very relaxed as he sipped the local equivalent of wine. He rolled the liquid over his tongue, relishing the flavor he compared to a fine Merlot. He was enjoying the one small glass of wine he would allow himself, since technically he was still on duty. He took another sip and rejoined the jovial conversation at the table. Teyla smiled at him, she was happy to see him so relaxed and comfortable.

The SGA-1 team had been the initial team when they first encountered the Lafodi. From the very first meeting, John had been pleased. These people were honest, hard-working, humble and generous. They had a high level of morality though they were not closed-minded or prudish at all. Lafodi was one of John's favorite offworld places to go, as it was for the whole team. Lafodi was reminiscent of an English village with thickly thatched roofs over handsome homes ranging in sizes from large cottages to more sizeable two story homes, all contructed of stone with wood accents. The roads and village square paved with cobblestone.

The SGA-1 team had been invited to stay the night at the home of the Chancellor. His home was a short walk across the square that was central to the village. The stately, spacious home reminiscent of an English Tudor, had several bedrooms that had been turned into guest rooms after the Chancellor's children (all 8 of them) had moved out to start their own families. John and his team has stayed there more than a few times in the past and each of them relished the huge soft, thick feather beds that furnished each bedroom. The home itself exuded a warm and comfortable, cozy atmosphere, thanks to the added touches from the Chancellor's talented wife, Elke.

As the dinner came to an end, John was anticipating another good night sleep like he had enjoyed each time they had stayed over at the Chancellor's insistance. The SGA-1 team always politely turned down the offer, while secretly waiting for the Chancellor to insist they accept his hospitality. The Chancellor was always amused that he needed to insist, knowing how much his friends enjoyed the lush beds. Without fail, their comfort and good rest during the night was always the foremost topic the next morning. The Chancellor and his wife were proud and humbled by their obvious enjoyment.

A thought came to John and he smiled. He would talk to Chancellor Pontu and ask him who made the beds and find out if he could make a personal purchase of one. His bed on Atlantis was comfortable, but it was too short and was only a single. Maybe that would solve his insomnia-he would definitely ask. Why had he never thought of that before!

After such a pleasant evening, the SGA-1 were relaxed and enjoyed the short walk to the Chancellor's home. They met one of the Lafodi patrolmen along the way, who was on duty patrolling the immediate area surrounding the square. Other patrolmen were on duty throughout the village and beyond. Crime was not really a problem, but the village was open to a fair bit of off-world traders who came and went freely. The Lafodi made sure to protect their own.

Chancellor Pontu greeted the patrolman cordially and was assured that all was well. The patrolman was new to the force, having only been employed less than one cycle. His nervousness at meeting his superior was apparent, though no one noticed the set jaw and tense stare the patrolman had when his eyes fell on the Colonel. After saying their good nights, the group continued on toward the home.

Once inside, the Chancellor asked if anyone wanted anything before retiring. "I know you all must be very tired. If it pleases you, you all may use the bedrooms that you have guested before. Elke has already turned down each of the beds. It is my pleasure to have you as our guests. Please enjoy our hospitality and treat our home as your own." They all bid each other a thankyou and a goodnight and headed to their respective bedrooms. With the village well patrolled, the team wouldnt need to take turns standing guard.

John entered the bedroom and kicked off his boots, he unstrapped his thigh holster and laid it on the nightstand . He unclipped his P90 and shrugged the vest off, laying both on the chair next to the bed. He smiled to himself , satisfied with the day's success. He flopped onto the bed, face down and enjoyed the fluff of the feather mattress around his body. He was in heaven, the thought of getting up to shed his clothes and use the adjoining bathroom made him groan. He should have done that before he lay down. He was trying to muster the energy when he heard a familiar click. He started to rise quickly from the bed, but was pushed down. The business end of a gun was jammed into the back of his neck. "Dont move" an unfamiliar voice demanded. John eyed the distance to his gun lying on the nightstand. "I wouldnt even try if I was you" the voice threatened. John knew it was no good, the gun was to far away.

"Get up and put your hands behind your head"

John had no choice but to do as he was told. So he rose from the bed and laced his hands behind his head. Now, at least he could see his intruder, ah, intruders. Three well armed men were standing in the space close to the bathroom. John figured that's where they had been hiding when he entered the room. If only he had used the bathroom first! Damn!

They prodded him towards the door. The lead guy warned "Dont give us any trouble or your friends will suffer." John's gut twisted , he hadnt even had time to think about his team or the Chancellor yet. He was pushed through the door, down the hall and made to make his way down the stairs. He could see Teyla and Rodney were lying face up on the floor, hands behind their heads. Ronon was on the floor unconcious, sporting a fair sized gash on his head, blood was seeping from the wound. John counted eight more armed men guarding them with guns held ready. The Chancellor and his wife were sitting on a bench. His face reddened , a trickle of blood ran down one side of his face also. His wife Elke, holding onto his arm, obviously scared of the armed men.

"How did you get in here? Whatever you are up to, you will never get away with. There are guards on patrol. Let these people go and your punishment will be light" Chancellor Pontu started, but was caught off guard when two more men entered the room, one was the very guard they had encountered on their walk home. He walked behind the other who clearly was the one in charge.

He addressed the Chancellor "Good evening Chancellor Pontu. I'm afraid we must interrupt your evening." He faced John "And, the famous Lt Colonel John Sheppard. Your reputation precedes you-on many worlds." He withdrew the wanted poster the Genii had distributed a while back. "You should be honored by all the trouble we have gone through in planning this. When it was heard that Atlantis was helping the people here, my boss was patient, waiting for the right moment. He warned us that you are a very resourceful man, so I will remind you to follow my instructions or the members of your team will suffer." Now, join your friends and lie down on the floor, hands behind your head."

John stood defiantly, these wanted poster somehow still kept sticking like glue. Guess word was slow getting around from world to world that now the Genii and Atlantis were in a truce and now allies.

"Wait just a minute" John started. "Guess you havent heard, that poster there is no longer any good. Those damned things are still circulating, a year too late. The Genii and Atlantis are allies now. Those wanted posters were issued when Gowan was in charge, but Radim heads the Genii now. He won't honor that-" He didnt get any further when he was rewarded with a particularly nasty jab to his middle back with the butt of a rifle-type gun. The pain exploded through him, sending him to his knees, a groan escaping his lips before he could reign it in.

He heard both Teyla and Rodney loudly protest against his current abuse. Maybe they'd listen to Teyla, cause apparently Mr Lead Man (as John so aptly dubbed him) didnt appreciate what he was trying to explain.

John felt the cold metal of a gun press against his neck once again. Mr Lead Man growled "This is how it works. The next time you dont do as you are told, a member of your team will be punished." He looked over at John's team. "And-if any of you give us any trouble, HE will suffer for it. That includes you Chancellor."

He bent down to growl into John's ear. "Radim is a fool. Not all Genii agree with his politics, especially when it comes to his alliance with Atlantis!"

John was still trying to recover from the first brutal blow, when another blow sent him all the way to the floor. His hands were roughly pulled behind his back and bound. Mr Lead Man loomed over John and grinned as he pulled a syringe and a vial of clear liquid from his pocket and proceeded to fill the syringe with the vial contents.

John was still trying to come to grips with the pain he was in, so he could do nothing but watch out of the corner of his eye. A familiar feeling of dread rushed through him as he felt the burning flush of the syringe needle as it pierced through the material of his shirt and into his left shoulder. The last words he heard were from his captor " Oh Sheppard, a message for you from my boss- Commander Kolya. He says Sweet Dreams" John had enough time to formulate the "Oh, crap!" in his mind before the darkness prevailed.

TBC oh no-not Kolya! Hope you like this so far! Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

Renegade Revenge

Chapter two

John came out of the drug-induced slumber slowly. Confusion ruled several minutes of his hazy awakening. He wasnt sure where he was, but remembered he had been anticipating a blissful sleep on a cloud of fine, fluffy feathers.

He was on a bed alright, but fluffy it was not. Shifting, he next became aware of the restriction of movement. Usually sleeping on his stomach or side, he realised he was on his back. He rarely slept on his back, unless he was stuck in the infirmary, Had he been hurt? He curiously sniffed the air and listened for the familiar sounds that were always present in Carson's kingdom. The smell was musty and the room was silent, not the infirmary then. Opening his eyes to take a look around didnt help, as the room was pitch dark.

Back to the unable to move part, John tried to bring his hands up to rub the sleep from his eyes. Instead, the only muscles that tensed were those of his stomach. He was fully awake now, the reality of being bound, spread eagled bringing him to full alert. He tested the restraints on his wrists that held him down. The chains he saw encircling each of his wrists trailed down their corners of the bed, secured to the bed's framework. His ankles also were chained and secured the same way. Little to no slack stretched his limbs out from his body and the tenderness he felt from the blows he took earlier were aggravated by the tension and his attempts to escape his bindings. John really hated feeling totally helpless.

Already his wrists were chafing raw from his attempts to yank the chains free. He was sweating and his breaths were coming faster from the physical straining. The mental awareness that he was incapacitated filling him with nervous tension. He had to calm down and let himself remember exactly how he got in this predicament-and where were his teammates?

The cold hard facts flooded his awareness then and he involuntarily shuddered when he remembered Mr. Lead Man giving him the message from his boss-Kolya. John's jaws clenched in anger, but his stomach flipflopped with the knowledge that he was Kolya's prisoner.

He had to get a grip here, telling himself to think positive. First, he needed to find out what happened to his team and Chancellor Pontu. When he managed to escape (insert positive thinking here), he would need to know if they were also being held here so he could free them and not leave them behind. He didnt know where he was, but he knew it would not still be Lafodi. He wondered how many gates his captors had move him through. His bravado lessened knowing rescue may be awhile too.

John restrained from calling out-he wasnt in any rush for them to know he was awake and he sure wasnt in a hurry to see Kolya again. John cursed the last time he saw Kolya. It was when Kolya and his minions tried to take over Atlantis during the storm. John had killed over 60 Genii that day. He wasnt proud of that, but he was defending his home and that's what a soldier did.  
>Kolya held a vendetta against him for that day. John suspected it wasnt the deaths that bothered Kolya as much as failing his mission and losing face. Regardless, the man obviously blamed him for both and he knew revenge would be on the agenda. He was not looking forward to what he was sure he was in store for in his immediate future.<p>

TBC Can you feel some whumpin' coming up? Let me know what you think by leaving a review! 


	3. Chapter 3

Renegade Revenge

Chapter three

Three of Kolya's soldiers rushed into the room and before John had time to think, they were on him. The first blow was a hard backhand to his jaw which sent his head spinning. Punches to his stomach and sides rounded out the brutal attack. Pain was the only thing John could register. The beating was over in minutes and no words were spoken. They left him panting in pain, nausea building in his gut. He swallowed back the rising bile, willing himself not to vomit.

Swift, brutal and frequent beatings without warning were a torture tactic meant to keep the prisoner on quard and anxious. John wondered how frequent-frequent would be. He also wondered when Kolya would join the party.

John sucked on his swollen bleeding lip as gently as he could, trying to soothe the sting. Testing his jaw to make sure it still worked followed. At least he hadnt lost any teeth (insert another positive thought). His abused body screamed to be allowed to fold in on itself for comfort. Unable to do so would make the pain linger way longer. His wrists now bleeding and hurt like a bitch from his efforts to get free adding to his misery. The chains were snug and bit into his wrists with every movement. His resolve faded, unlike the pain and the blackness stepped forward to claim him, letting him escape the pain for a while.  
>He woke, thankfully, to a lesser degree of pain than when he blacked out. No doubt thanks to his lack of movement but he wasnt ready to test that theory-not yet anyway. He wondered how long he'd been out and when the next impromptu beating would take place. An hour or so went by with no contact, which was fine with John. He wasnt really up for another beating but his stomach was now protesting its emptiness and his need to empty his aching bladder grew. He tried to rest, even tried to sleep, but thinking about his dilemma made him anxious.<p>

He had to admit to himself that he was afraid of what Kolya had planned. The man held him personally responsible for his political demise. He knew no matter what Kolya did to him, it would make not make him betray his friends and his city. He'd rather die, though he knew Kolya would make him suffer long before he'd allow him that.

He realized he must have dozed off at some point, as he woke to five guards coming into the room. John braced himself for the expected beating to begin, instead he felt his wrists and ankles being freed. Acute pain filled his shoulders as he brought his arms down. He could hardly move he was so stiff from his limbs being over-extended. "Get up slowly and dont try anything" one guard warned. John looked at the five guns trained on him and couldnt help the eye roll triggered by his obvious screwedness.

Not only were his shoulders on fire, but as he went to get up, his legs buckled from lack of circulation and his abused body betrayed his attempt to appear strong. He couldnt try anything if he wanted to-he was moving like he was a hundred years old.

They led him to a bathroom where they let him relieve himself. The red-tinged urine wasnt a surprise, but was definitely of concern. The pain in his lower back slightly relieved now his bladder was empty. He was allowed to wash up a bit. The cold water soothed his raw, bleeding wrists. He took the opportunity to gulp handfuls of water from the faucet. The water had an awful metallic taste but he knew he was dehydrated and he wasnt sure if this "kindness" extended to food and drink. He also noted that the stopper in the sink basin was metal which could be a potential weapon. He discreetly tested it to see if it was removable and was surprised to have something go his way. The prod of a gun butt brought him out of his plot-making fog.

Seemed his good fortune did extend to include a meal, if you could call it that. He was forced to sit on the floor of the bathroom, then was handed a bowl. The bland mash it contained actually wasnt as bad as it could be, so he ate to keep up his strength. John was perplexed at this "act of kindness" shown to him. He didnt figure Kolya cared about his basic needs, when he was about to "interrogate" him for information he couldnt and would never divulge.

On his escorted way back to "his room" John felt the first signs of dizziness and a wave of nausea. He had been drugged many times and knew the feeling all too well. His vision doubled and he shook his head to try and clear it. The hallway was spinning and the guards grabbed his arms to keep him upright, leading him back to the room. Any plan he had of resisting was flat out gone. The guards threw him onto the bed and his arms and legs were once again chained to each corner. He hardly registered the few good hits they added for good measure.

Kolya entered the room then, but John could barely focus as his eyes tried to keep up with the spinning room, so he didnt register Kolya's presense. Instead he gagged, the projectile vomitus hit Kolya square in the chest, soaking his shirtfront. Kolya backhanded him in retaliation, then grabbed the unaware John's chin and watched as John's eyes darted back and forth in rapid succession, clearly unfocused. He watched John's eyes close then, as he succumbed to the drug's sedative effect.

Kolya angrily shouted out to his men in the room "Who put the Taquan in his food?" The guards looked at one another sheepishly. Kolya had order the drug added to the food, only to make Sheppard more compliant, but not in such quantity as to render his plans for interrogation useless, which now described Sheppard at the moment. Someone would pay for making him wait on his plans today. He was looking forward to this very day and now, the day now wasted. Sheppard would be out for hours if not for the whole day, the Taquan was a powerful sedative.

Kolya was angry. It seemed to him, that Sheppard always had extreme good fortune when he, Kolya, was around. Again, the fates kept him from exacting punishment on the man who single-handedly prevented him from the success he deserved. Atlantis was to be his, the glory of conquering and seizing the great city of the Ancestors would have been his already- if Colonel John Sheppard had been dealt with swiftly.

The soldier in him reluctantly respected Sheppard's actions that day, the man had defended his territory admirably. Sheppard had outwitted every plan he set forth that day and had cost Kolya his pride and sent him on a path to ruin. Sheppard was a force to be reckoned with and it would be Kolya's pleasure to strip away his defiance and reinforce the helplessness he knew the military man must feel in his current condition. Now his plans to bring the man down would have to wait one more day.

He turned to his second "Find the one who added the Taquan to his food and bring him to me."

TBC Well, John did get whumped but kind of got lucky getting drugged up. Kolya will have to wait a bit! Please review! 


	4. Chapter 4

Renegade Revenge

Chapter four

John woke to the commotion of Kolya's soldiers filing into the room. His head ached in pulsating throbs, no doubt from the drug after effects. It took him a moment to shake the haze, awareness of his vulnerable state aiding his rise from the drug-induced sleep. He swallowed near non-existent saliva and wondered if the gulp had been audible.

John clenched his sore jaw shut, stifling the urge to make a sarcastic comment as the silent minutes passed while the soldiers stood at attention around the perimeter of the room. John knew who he would see next enter the room, figuring the wait was Kolya's attempt at dramatic pause, hoping to heighten his prisoner's anxiety. As the minutes ticked by, John did feel his anxiety increasing, but he would never show it outwardly, not to the soldiers and especially not to Kolya.

John figured at least fifteen-twenty minutes had passed before Kolya finally made his grand entrance. Inwardly John couldnt help the mental cringe at seeing the man. Kolya smiled down at his securely chained prisoner. His loins stirred, in a non-sexual way, at the sight of Sheppard chained before him. He had planned this for so long, the satisfaction of seeing his quarry subdued and helpless and now at his mercy was quite exhilarating.

"Lt Colonel John Sheppard! So nice to have you as my quest! I'm sure your visit will be most satisfying, at least for one of us!" Kolya turned to the one John has dubbed "Mr Lead Man". "Where is the one who added the Taquan to his food rendering him useless and fouling my plans?" Kolya demanded.

Mr Lead Man motioned to the soldier at the door and two more soldiers entered with a reluctant man in tow. Kolya looked the man up and down and without hesitation he pulled the gun from his waist belt and shot the man point blank in the head. Before the body fell, Kolya grabbed the dead man and threw him to land on John. The body fell across John's torso, igniting the tender spots from his beatings. He felt the man's blood seep through his own shirt. John was appalled at the whole scene that just unfolded.

"Any one of you disobey an order, this is the punishment! I expect my orders to be followed to the letter. Failure is not an option! Kolya looked at noone in particular but the message was clear to all. Kolya holstered his gun and motioned for the soldiers to remove the body. Kolya smiled down at John again, his anger still visible on his face. "Let's begin."

"Lt Colonel John Sheppard, you are hereby rendered for punishment for the crimes committed against the Genii people. Said punishment to be the sole responsibility of the Commander of those you sent to their deaths."

John decided to defend himself, as futile as it was. "First off-Kolya-you dont represent the Genii people-Radim is in charge and we now have an alliance with them. You're just a renegade faction of defectors. What I did was done as a soldier in defense of my post, my people and my home. This is all about revenge, but not for the soldiers lost-but more for your loss of status-your failure! You rule by intimidation and these men are all expendible to you! " He looked around at the soldiers " Do you really believe he cares at all about the loved ones you ..."

His defense was interrupted by a hard backhand that sent his head reeling once again, the loud crack echoing away from his ears as it filled the room. He was sure he felt his jaw pop, hopefully not broken, but definitely dislocated. The pain brought tears to his eyes as he tried to open his bloodied mouth and shift his jaw back into alignment. Before he had time to do much, Kolya grabbed the front of his shirt, ripping it apart in one swift move. The black Tee he wore under his BDU was cut away with Kolya's knife, but not before the blade also left its marks on his exposed chest. John shivered from the sudden cold and fear for what Kolya had planned.

When John looked up once more, he found Kolya brandishing a metal rod. Kolya pressed a button on the side and a hum filled the room. Oh, this was so not good. John gagged on the blood-mixed saliva he was attempting to swallow when the pain erupted from his sternum. The pain, so quick and unrelenting, made it impossible for John to catch his breath, and all his attempts to get away from the source of the pain failed. Kolya was determined to get Sheppard to beg for him to stop, but he would settle for pathetic screams that would confirm his prisoner's agony. Unable to hold his breath against the pain any longer, John couldnt help the gasping screams that satisfied Kolya's demand.

Kolya did not let John rest as he applied the torturous device over and over again to John's exposed flesh. His prisoner's stubborness to yield to the pain fueled his determination to push Sheppard to break. Kolya was impressed by the strength Sheppard showed as he endured the horrific pain the shock stick produced. Sheppard's struggles to escape the stick's wrath and his grunts of pain were satisfying, but the eventual, reluctant screams Kolya was after were intoxicating, a testimony to the overwhelming agony endured. The inevitable interrogation never began, instead the torture was administered in silence. The grin on Kolya's face never waivered as he brutally jabbed the shock stick into John over and over. At some point his socks had been removed and he realized the torture was shifted from his torso to the soles of his feet.

Kolya was thoroughly enjoying John's pain and it wasnt until "Mr Lead Man" suggested he stop, that he noticed his prisoner was unconscious, though his body was still writhing in pain from the applied electrical device. Satisfied this session was a success, he was already looking forward to the next. He planned on making Sheppard suffer for as long as he could.

TBC well-Kolya got his hands on John-unfortunately! Do you think John's defense got through to any of Kolya's men? Please review-I'd appreciate any constructive guidance!


	5. Chapter 5

Renegade Revenge chapter five

John woke feeling drained, shaky and feeling like he just ran a 30k marathon flat out with a fever of 110. Still, he thought it was not as bad as he expected he would feel after what he had experienced at Kolya's hands. The electrical impulses zapped every fiber of his being, causing excrutiating pain, but once removed, the outward physical damage was minimal.

The burns from contact with the device were raw and painful, and the after effects of his torture left his head, limbs and torso-heck the whole shabang-aching and weak from the tension caused by constricting muscles and nerves. His wrists and ankles burned from the raw, broken skin the chains continued to bite into.

The device John compared to the 'evil twin of a cattle prod' was inhumanely intense and he found out the hard way that Kolya had no problem using the highest setting for the maximum outcome.

John lost count of how many times Kolya had hit him with the prod, but each contact had lasted several minutes leaving John writhing and struggling to catch his breath. The pain so intense he couldnt stop the screams that seemed to have a mind of their own. Thankfully, he had finally blacked out. He had willed himself not to give into the pain, but it had gotten the best of him. The pain had won and Kolya had gotten his wish to hear John scream in agony.

John didnt think it would take too many of these sessions to send him into cardiac arrest or induce brain damage due to lack of oxygen. He wondered how long Kolya planned to keep him around before his body succumbed to the abuse permanently.

With that thought, John knew he had to get proactive in planning his escape. He wasnt sure where his team was but he was now pretty sure that Kolya had only taken him prisoner. If they were here too, Kolya would have made sure that John's torture session was witnessed by his team, or worse-they would have been the subjects of torture while he was forced to watch. He knew his team would be mounting a rescue, but he wasnt sure they would have any clues to where Kolya had brought him to. His imminent demise at Kolya's hands reinforced his need to make plans for escape.

TBC John's getting weaker, he needs to escape! Please review! 


	6. Chapter 6

Renegade Revenge

Chapter six

Three days had passed since John had been kidnapped. They knew Kolya's men had taken him, but Kolya had somehow done something to the Lafodi Stargate to scramble the stored addresses from recent activity. It didnt help that Lafodi's gate had seen more traffic in the recent months due to their trade potential.  
>Rodney hadnt given up hope yet, he and Zelenka were working non-stop piecing the gate activity into some semblance of order. As the addresses were unscrambled and viable addresses were recovered, eager SGA teams were sent out to find their missing commander or at the least collect clues. With no results so far, everyone on Atlantis was feeling the tension. John was respected and loved and everyone prayed for his safe return. They all knew that as time passed, their chances of finding him safe faded.<p>

Chancellor Pontu of Lafodi had been interrogating anyone with any contact with the known patrolman that had been planted on their force. No one knew much about him, only that he had done his job satisfactorily but had kept to himself while off duty. His partner remembered him boasting about his past military training and his admiration for his ex-commander, one Commander Kolya.

The Chancellor couldnt apologize enough for the ignorant role they were forced to play in the plan Kolya devised to kidnap Colonel Sheppard. He genuinely liked and respected Colonel Sheppard. He admired the respect and admiration that the Colonel's men had for their leader, which spoke volumes to the kind of man John Sheppard was. They had become good friends since their inital meeting and Chancellor Pontu enjoyed his friend easy smile and quick wit. After many conversations, he had come to know John as a man that held many of the same values as those from Lafodi.

The Atlanteans had filled him in on Kolya's history and he hoped they would be able to find out where John was being held, before it was too late. In the meantime he would do all he could to supply any information that he could that would help, even offering the use of his seasoned security officers.

Back in Atlantis, information gathered ended in futility, none of it lead to any clues to where Kolya had gone. Ronon and Teyla had left to check out contacts on various planets for any gossip. Elizabeth was in contact with Radim and he swore his allegiance to gather any information that would help. He came back with information that Kolya had recruited soldiers for a secret mission not sanctioned by the Genii military. Further intel proved that each confirmed recruit had lost a relative during the Atlantis takeover fiasco. The location of this renegade group was still trying to be uncovered. With little or no information to go on, Elizabeth was losing hope. She sat in her office holding back tears as she imagined the treatment John may be facing from Kolya and his men. John had been forced to defend Atlantis against incoming Genii forces by raising the shield on the Stargate, causing the demise of over fifty Genii soldiers enroute to join the Genii forces already invading Atlantis in a forced takeover. John also had essentially been the one to spoil any and all plans Kolya had to take Atlantis. He had outwitted and outsmarted Kolya at every turn. She couldnt have been prouder of her SIC on that day. His defense of Atlantis was exemplary and had solidified her belief that John Sheppard was perfect for the job as the Military Commander of Atlantis.

Knowing how dangerous Kolya was, made Elizabeth shudder. She trembled with fear as she thought about what Kolya would do to John. They really needed to find him now-before it was too late-or maybe their efforts were futile, maybe it was already too late. She shook that last thought from her mind, she would remain positive. They'd lost too many good people, but had saved many more-John never gave up and neither would she.

TBC Now we know everyone is searching for John, but will they find him in time? Please review-it really makes a difference! 


	7. Chapter 7

Renegade Revenge Chapter seven

John had suffered another impromptu beating that left him senseless. Upon waking, he accessed the damage and was pretty sure his jaw was not only dislocated but broken. His right eye was swollen shut and from the pain he felt upon shifting his body, he was sure he had some cracked ribs, though thankfully his breathing was unrestricted-so far. The rest of his torso had bruises on top of bruises.

John had only been awake for an hour or so when the soldiers filed in and took position around the perimeter of his room. He knew what that meant and tried to prepare himself for Kolya's torture. He realized his situation was deteriorating along with his physical condition. He needed to escape as soon as possible, before he was totally unable to. His thoughts were interrupted by Kolya's presense.

Kolya was pleased at John's obvious discomfort. The man's jaw was horrifically swollen and bruised dark purple and red. Since he hadnt been allowed release in some time and after a blow to his lower abdomen sent his bladder into spasm, John couldnt hold back when his damaged bladder released its burden. Kolya made a disgusted face, but was pleased when he noticed that John realized why he sneered and automatically showed embarrassment over his loss of control.

Kolya glared down upon John without saying a word for several minutes. Normally this would be the time John would be making sarcastic comments to show his defiance, but with a broken jaw, intelligent speech was impossible, John had to admit, his sarcastic comments werent too intelligent to begin with, when he chose to goad his captors at times like these. He usually ended up with a split lip or cracked ribs. He really needed to learn to keep his mouth shut, but he just couldnt help himself...Now he couldnt move his jaw and had to remain silent and he was about to find out if that made matters any better. He sincerely doubted it.

One of Kolya's men came in with a coil of rope and John's tension increased as he instantly knew what was going to happen. The rope was slung up over the rafter above the bed. Kolya was watching John's face and it was all John could do to not show the dread he felt. He knew from experience that hanging by his wrists usually always meant body blows, knife cutting and/or a good old fashion whipping.

A hook was tied to one end of the rope and John watched it swing in the open air. Two soldiers bent to release the chains from the bed and he felt the tension in his arms loosen as the chains were freed. His arms felt like lead but that didnt stop John from struggling. He just couldnt let this happen without some kind of act of resistance, as useless as it was. His arms were grabbed by the same two soldiers before John got anywhere. They forced his arms out in front of him, the end chain link of each restraint was hooked onto the rope hook.

Kolya grabbed the rope and pulled until the tension was tight with John's arms now holding the weight of his body so his back was off the bed. His raw, bloodied wrists were on fire from the weight they now supported and he felt fresh blood start to flow down his forearms.

Kolya was taking great pleasure in watching John's defiance to not show pain or fear. The sweat beading down the Colonel's face gave him away though and he smiled as he cherished the discomfort he knew was there. He took his time as inch by agonizing inch he hoisted his prisoner's body up. Once John was in a upright position, Kolya tied off the rope. John was now suspended above the bed, his ankles still bound in the chains attached to the bed. The awkward shift of his ankle bindings bit deep into tissue already bruised. The now open wounds adding to the growing list of pain John knew would only grow longer.

Kolya never spoke a word to him. John had expected the torture to include demands for information. This silent treatment was a bit unnerving, as John usually used the constant demands for information as a distraction. Unable to talk and with no questions to not answer, he wasnt sure what he'd focus on, it couldnt be Atlantis or anyone there, just in case he did slip. Sports, he could do that.

Before he had time to think anymore, movement caught his eye and he looked down to see Kolya brandishing a short whiplike device. The physical tension his body felt from being strung up and the emotional tension of knowing what was in store, made John's composure falter. He breathed in to steady his nerves. Kolya walked around the bed and interrupted the awkward silence.

"Colonel Sheppard, your punishment will now continue." He held the device in his hand up in front of John. "This is quite a unique device. Its called a thump whip. Its length is only an arms span long and can deliver quite an intense measure of pain, but its the end that is causes the most pain. You see, a, rounded stone has been weaved into the end. When the whip is applied, the end delivers a distinctive thump."

"Experience has proven that most men cannot withstand more than twenty blows before succumbing to the pain. The mortality rate is very high." Kolya smiled. "You, the Great Colonel John Sheppard should be able to surpass that, dont you think? Lets find out shall we?." He motioned for one soldier to tuck John's hanging shirt up over his shoulders so it was out of the way.

Kolya continued to move around John and when he was behind him, John instinctively tensed his stomach to prepare for the coming blow. Pain erupted along his right side and an audible thump resounded as the end hit the flat plane of his taut stomach. The intensity of the blow forced the air from his lungs, resulting in a involuntary grunt.

John was thirteen and he was in Hawaii with his family. His Dad got him surfing lessons with an ex-pro surfer as a birthday gift. The guy, Bogie said John was a natural. They went out pretty far so Bogie could teach him what to look for when choosing a wave. John was a quick study and after an hour of watching and learning, Bogie told him to pick a wave to ride. The wave that John picked was sweet. Bogie told him to go for it. John was ecstatic as he lined himself up and started paddling as the wave arrived...

Auck! The second lash wrapped around his buttocks, the end landing heavily into his groin. John saw stars and groaned with the pain. He cursed the tears that welled in his eyes, ready to fall. Already he felt his body start to shake from the abuse.

Surfing...Hawaii...First sweet ride...

The tears fell freely now as he endured six more blows before he lost count. Each lash brought him close to blacking out. The ever smiling Kolya waited long enough to ensure he remained awake before he delivered the next blow.

Mountain biking in Colorado...

John was in agony, his head thrown back in obvious pain, his chest heaving. His jaw pain forgotten as his body harbored more pain than he had ever felt before. He had thought the incident with the Iratus bug was the worst, but this rivalled even that. He had no idea how many lashes Kolya had delivered now, but his whole torso was in a whole lot of hurt. Kolya had continued to move around his hanging body aiming the whip to land at different angles. Kolya hadnt spared his legs either, landing a fair amount of blows to his thighs. He could feel the cold air through the shredded remains of his pant legs.

John managed to lift his head to glare at Kolya in defiance. He was helpless, beaten and in agony he could no longer hide, but his glare sent the message that he was not broken. Kolya was infuriated as he wiped the sweat from his own brow, he had been sure Sheppard would beg for mercy. He held John's glare and a most wicked smile grew on his face. He walked slowly to John's left and planted his feet.

He aimed his next blow on the most sensitive area and let loose with the most vicious blow yet. The pain engulfed John's manhood so brutally his scream reverberate through the room in echoes. White hot pain erupted through his very soul and then all he knew faded to black.

Koyla was thrilled with the level of pain he had delivered on his prisoner. So pleased with himself he chuckled as he lingered, staring at the limp, hanging form before him. He had to admit he was duly impressed. Sheppard had taken fifteen lashes. Impressive for a man already suffering ill effects from previous punishment.

"I'm sure you all feel the same satisfaction of revenge as I do. We are not done with Colonel Sheppard just yet. Let him down and secure him to the bed again. Do the bare minimum to keep him alive. We'll let him suffer in pain for a while before his final punishment."

His commander's abnormal enjoyment of his prisoner's pain was observed by a young soldier standing against the wall. Kolya insisted his men watch the punishment, expecting every one of them to find satisfaction that their lost relatives were being revenged.

Instead, Pieter found Kolya disgusting and revolting. The man had no compassion at all. The level of pain he was capable of giving was downright scary. The loss of his brother during the attempted takeover of Atlantis ran deep and he had wanted revenge, following Kolya in earnest. But this was beyond any form of revenge he had imagined.

When Kolya had executed his friend and colleague in cold blood for overmedicating the prisoner, he realized that Kolya didnt respect any of them. They were all pawns in his power play and any one of them could be executed for the smallest infraction. Besides,- watching the torture didnt relieve the sadness he felt for his brother's loss. He was raised well and this pure torture as a means to exact revenge was inhumane and it disgusted him.

He had swallowed back the bile as his leader whipped the man senseless. He clenched his jaw shut to stop the urge to yell at Kolya to stop the insane torture. Any show of compassion would mean his own immediate death, he was sure of that. So he remained silent, praying for the man to pass out. When he dared to look at his fellow comrades standing around the room, he saw many with jaws clenched shut. His own jaw spasming with every thump that drummed off abused muscle.

He thought back to when the prisoner acknowledged his actions as those of a soldier defending his home and his people against an intruding force, it made Pieter consider his side. Knowing that if he had been in the man's position, he too would have done the same thing-But he had only thought about his brother's death by this man's hands.

Would his brother want him to exact revenge on a man only defending his own? His family had not approved of Gowan's ways and when Seive had been called to be part of the Atlantis attack, he hadnt agreed with the move, but he was a soldier bound to duty. His brother had been a fair and honest man and Pieter came to the conclusion that his brother would find Kolya a self-serving power hungry tyrant. This Colonel Sheppard was right, though he hated to admit it. Kolya's actions were too personal.

As he stood there listening to the screams of the man responsible for his brother's death, he found himself feeling outrage against this punishment. He would have to be careful, but for his brother's honor and his own, he would find a way to help the man. He couldnt believe his revelation, but this was just so wrong. He felt like his brother was there, willing him to see the wrongness and act to correct it.

Silence brought Pieter out of his fog. He watched the bloody, beaten man now strapped back onto the bed, his chest still heaving from pain even while unconscious. Pieter felt only a stronger resolve to set this right. He would need to be careful.

TBC John may have an ally, there's hope! What do you think? Please review! 


	8. Chapter 8

Renegade Revenge Chapter eight

John thought he felt bad before, but that was nothing compared to this. He knew there was no way he could withstand another attack from the soldiers or from Kolya. He doubted whether the ability to escape was even an option at this point. He should be inserting some positive thoughts in here, but he was fresh out and too tired to pluck any from anywhere. It hurt too much.

He groaned as the door swung open. Not again, not so soon. He decided to make peace with himself as he was sure this was it. He regretted that he would not see his team, his men, Elizabeth or Atlantis again. He prayed that their journey through life in the Pegasus Galaxy got easier and more fruitful.

Three soldiers came in and John prepared himself for the assault. It didnt come. Instead the chains were released and he was lifted to a standing position. His legs werent cooperating though and the soldiers holding him had to support his weight. He looked into the eyes of the young soldier holding him up and he thought he saw an ounce of compassion.

They waited until he got the feeling back in his legs. Though weak and shaky, he managed to find the strength to walk on his own. They guided him into the bathroom, where he was allowed to use the commode and wash up. They even gave him a bar of soap. They didnt rush him, in fact ,they were leaving him alone in the room.

After drinking from the faucet, John realized he was starting to get some strength back. He looked over to see a bowl of the bland mash setting on the counter. The last time he ate the stuff, he had been drugged. The young soldier saw his hesitation. The soldier looked into the prisoner's eyes. "It's okay, no drugs." John nodded his thanks and proceeded to pick a spot on the floor where he could rest against the wall and eat the mush. It took him awhile to find a position that his bruised body could tolerate, not finding one, he gave up and grit his teeth waiting for the pain to subside. If he was going to attempt an escape, this would have to be it. He ate the mush, hoping to give himself the energy he needed. Damn it, he had no choice, it was either die trying or die helplessly. John wasnt a quitter and he wouldnt let Kolya think him broken.

It took him a long time to finish the mush, which actually took extra long due to his inability to open his mouth or close it for that matter. It was a matter of actually sliding the spoon into his mouth far enough to tip the contents towards the back of his throat and then swallow before he choked. He closed his mind to the escrutiating pain the simple act of trying swallow produced.

Regardless, his stomach kept the gruel down and he had to admit he felt better for it. He felt some of his strength return, so he stood and pretended to wash his hands, using the time to pull the metal stopper from the sink basin. He would have to be quick.

TBC Hmmm, John's pretty weak-dont know if he should try an escape-it may not be successful! Again, I plead for reviews-I know its annoying, but I'm gonna ask anyway! LOL! 


	9. Chapter 9

Renegade Revenge Chapter nine

While John had been unconscious in the room upstairs, Pieter positioned himself into being selected to go offworld in search of provisions. He thanked his brother for his good fortune. He would soon restore his families honor.

Four other guards were chosen also. Pieter had wanted to talk to his colleagues about Kolya's actions and intentions, but not knowing how he'd be received, he decided to keep his opinion to himself.

Once through the gate to a planet they knew had a farmer's market, Pieter excused himself with the excuse that he needed to relieve himself. He told them he would catch up with them in the town. They waved as they walked on. Pieter waited a good while, giving them time to be well on their way to the market. When he deemed it safe, Pieter dialed the address he knew belonged to the planet Sheppard had been captured on.

Once through the gate, he surrendered to the Lafodi gate security officers. He immediately told them his intentions and that time was of the essence. Once his colleagues knew he was truly missing, they would return to Kolya. He was sure Kolya would find his disappearance strange and that fact might force Kolya to finalize his plans for Sheppard, before a rescue could be mounted.

Luckily the security officers heeded his concerns and Chancellor Pontu was alerted immediately. Since the gate was close to town, the Chancellor met them within minutes. After hearing Pieter's account of the situation, he was whisked away so that Chancellor Pontu could dial Atlantis without fear of exposing the address.

Elizabeth was on full alert as was every member of the military team designated to implement the rescue of their beloved commander. They only hoped it wouldnt be too late. By Kolya's soldier account, Sheppard wasnt fairing too well. Time was ticking towards the end of John's life.  
>While all this was taking place, John had been in the bathroom, gathering strength and courage to go ahead with an escape plan he wasnt sure he could physically pull off. But if it failed, at least he had tried. Perhaps Kolya would be so furious, he would kill him quickly.<p>

With the metal sink stopper poking out between his fisted fingers, John stood waiting for the soldiers to enter the room. The soldiers were alert and noticed John's tension. One glanced down and saw the weapon ready to strike.

"You dont need that. We won't stop you from running. You have suffered enough punishment by Kolya. Your actions caused the deaths of our loved ones, but you did so defending your home and family-as was your duty. What Kolya has done to you has no honor and revenge is not going to bring our loved ones back. Go now, the three of us will not help you, but nor will we stop you. Kolya is resting and the other soldiers are in the back room playing a game to pass the time. One guard patrols the front, one the back. Please-no more killing-unless its Kolya-then you have our blessing.

You need to knock each of us out so your escape looks genuine. Then go, follow the river moving in the direction of the sun, the gate is over the rise." The soldier nodded his consent. John was stunned by his turn of luck and started shaking with the realization that they were giving him this chance. Unable to talk due to his broken jaw, John nodded his thanks then gave each enough of a blow to knock them out and made his way out of the house as quietly and as quickly as he could on shaky, unsteady legs.

John was nearing the treeline when a guard decided to take a break from the game and head out for a smoke. He caught a glimpse of movement near the treeline. He watched for a second and when the figure turned, he saw a man with dark hair. When he saw the open shirt, he knew instantly who it was.

John didnt see the guard looking at him, but he heard the shout of alarm and John knew he'd been seen. He ran as fast as his bare-footed shaky legs could go. He hoped it was enough. He ran, dodging fallen trees and small bushes. He misstepped and fell head over heels down a small incline. Dazed, he couldnt allow any time to check himself over. Sweat from exhertion and nerves dampened his hair and rolled down his back. His shirt hung loose since no buttons remained to fasten it shut. The Tee shirt underneath annoying in its ripped tattered state. But it was cold and what little material cling to his shoulders gave him some protection, though time didnt allow John to think about it.

He did however, have time-as he ran, to become aware of each and every bruise and hurt his body had been subjected to over the last few days. Holding his arms as close to his ribs to help support them. He was heaving in gasps of much needed air, his lungs begging for a break. If he stopped now, he knew he;d never get up again. So he pushed on.

He followed the river like the soldier told him to, he only hoped he'd been sincere and that the directions werent leading him away from the gate. He could hear shouting now, from behind him. The shouts were faint but he knew he needed to move faster. Hurt as he was, his progress was slow, being barefoot also didnt help. The men after him were healthy and had shoes to protect their feet. But they werent running for their life.

As John made his way to the rise, he dared to hope he could make it to the gate. His lungs were protesting as he struggled through the brush. His cracked ribs and bruised insides screamed. Swiping his hand over his eyes to clear them from dripping sweat left his face open to attack from tree branches his hand had been fending off as he ran. One such branch brought him to his knees when it did not yield. The branch had grazed his forehead leaving him with a deep gash that bled freely.

He was spent, but pushed on. Reaching the rise, John sank to his knees in exhaustion. He took a moment to locate the gate he expected to be there. Joy momentarily pushed the pain away when he saw it. He heard the soldiers closer now, the joy he felt instantly gone. He ran on exhausted legs that he willed onward, silently giving himself a pep talk that he was almost there.

At that moment John felt a horrific stabbing pain in his left foot. Luckily the only agonizing sound that escaped his broken jaw was a loud whimper. He fell and it took a moment for him to focus his eyes on the tree branch now impaled through his foot from bottom out through the top. He was done, resigned to his fate-he didnt want to give up, but John was a realist and knew he was screwed with no chance of escape-not now, but at least he had tried.

Kolya's men were so close, he could hear their footsteps. Tears welled in his eyes, from the pain but more from his resignation that he wouldnt make it home.

John sat clutching his impaled foot, breathing hard through the pain as Kolya's men surrounded him. He had no more fight left and closed his eyes shut as nausea made his stomach lurch.

Mr Lead Man grabbed John by the hair, forcing him onto his knees. Before he could do more, he heard the click of several guns. So-here he was to be executed-on the spot. He kept his eyes closed and sucked in what he knew would be the last breath of his life.

TBC Well-John's future was looking up as he escaped! But now he's caught again! What will Kolya do to him now? Not gonna ask for a review-nope-not gonna do it! Ok-only if you want!


	10. Chapter 10

Renegade Revenge Chapter ten

John heard the click of several guns being readied to fire, but if he had been less exhausted and more alert, the sound would have been quite familar to him. Twenty angry SGA soldiers surround Kolya's men. Lorne stepped forward, his P90 trigger finger itching to blast these sonsofbitches into a million pieces.

"Throw down your weapons and you may live to see another day. One false move and these good soldiers will gladly tear you apart with enough firepower to bring down King Kong, not enough left of you to fill a pill box."

Mr Lead Man knew he and his men didnt stand a chance, so he signalled them to lay their weapons down. he, however still held John upright by a fistful of his hair. John was only semi-conscious, shock threatening to steal him away.

Lorne growled. "Release him and step away." His weapon trained on the man's heart.

Without the hand grasping his hair, keeping him uptight, John collapsed, unaware of what was happening around him. Lorne flinched when he saw the bruises and burn marks over the Colonel's exposed upper body, but the sight of his broken jaw and impaled foot made Lorne want to kill each one of these bastards ten times over. He knew his men-the Colonel's men were itching for an excuse too.

Once he was sure the area was secure, Lorne radioed for the jumper to land in a clearing near to them. Dr Beckett and a med team filed out with a gurney in tow. Beckett clucked at the condition of the man he was proud to call friend. John was barely conscious, but Carson felt compelled to explain what they were doing as they stabilized him for transport back to Atlantis. John groaned in protest as a neck brace was fitted to him.

"Be careful of his jaw, luv." Carson gently instructed his nurse. One IV line was started to combat dehydration, a piggyback IV of morphine was added to it. Another IV was readied to deliver compatible blood to replace what John had obviously lost. John writhed in pain as Carson stabilized the branch impaled through his foot with bandages. John was gently lifted onto the gurney and strapped in, the pillow in use to keep his foot elevated. The jumper would take John, Carson and the med team back to a waiting Atlantis immediately.

While Lorne had taken his troops on foot, Sheppard's team and fifteen more soldiers flew in on two cloaked jumpers locating the cabin where he was being held. What they didnt know was that John had escaped and his captors were in pursuit.

Kolya stayed behind awaiting Sheppards capture. Finding out that Sheppard had escaped, in his deteriorated condition, made Kolya's blood boil. He couldnt contain his anger and lashed out at the man who bear him the news. Sending the man sprawling didnt relieve any of his anger and he continued his rampage, destroying anything within reach. Sweat rolled down his reddened face as a pain in his chest increased. He ignored the pain as he sat seething that once again Sheppard had escaped his final punishment.

He slowly calmed a bit as he was confident his men would hunt Sheppard down and bring him back to face his final punishment. So caught up in the imagery of the great Colonel John Sheppard broken and bleeding, begging for the bullet that would end his life. Kolya never heard a sound until the gun Ronon carried charged to its deadliest setting. He then heard the additional clicks of Atlantis weapons being readied to discharge their load. He closed his eyes, the rage building once again.

TBC Ahhh-John is rescued, Kolya and his men captured! yeah! Are you happy? I am! let me know!


	11. Chapter 11

Renegade Revenge Chapter eleven

While Ronon's team secured Kolya, Lorne's team secured Kolya's men. One jumper would bring Kolya back to Atlantis. The other would stop to pick up Kolya's men. Lorne's team would sweep the area amd secure the cabin that had been the Colonel's prison. Two more jumpers were on the way to bring them back to Atlantis once they were done.

Ronon, Teyla and Rodney occupied the jumper carrying Kolya. Ronon's angry, fierce stare alone now kept Kolya relatively sedate. Kolya had resisted his captors as the rage he felt for his failure-again-to make John Sheppard pay built and sent him into a fury. It had provided Ronon the welcomed opportunity to pummel Kolya, only Teyla's cries for him to stop made him release Kolya to the troops who bound his hands behind his back and took over the responsibility to see to his imprisonment. Teyla noted the pale, sickly palor ofKolya's face, but refused to feel any pity for the despicable man.

Once back in Atlantis, the SGA team hurried to the infirmary to find out how John was. The infirmary was quiet, but signs of controlled chaos was strewn around. Discarded, bloody clothes were on the floor along with bloodied compresses and bandages,and various wrappers that had held sterile medical equipment. The discarded array should have been enough for several wounded, not just for one man.

The team was joined by Elizabeth and Lorne. They all waited, impatiently for word on how their friend was. The quiet was broken by the rush of the surgical suite doors opening. They all turned in unison to find a nurse rushing out to retrieve some supplies. She ignored the pleading, concerned eyes that followed her every move until she once again disappeared behind the doors keeping them at bay.

Rodney felt about ready to burst, as Ronon punched the wall. Elizabeth couldnt hold the tears back any longer and once Teyla saw her tears, her own that had been welling in her eyes, also spilled forth. Both women held each other. Lorne paced continually, his fists opening and closing with rage as he remembered how badly the Colonel had looked.  
>A large crowd was forming in the hall outside the waiting area of the infirmary as servicemen and civilians alike came to offer blood donations and prayers for their fallen leader.<p>

Lorne addressed the concerned group, making sure they all knew how appreciated their concerns and well wishes were, but urged them to vacate the hallway. Assuring them that if needed, a citywide request for blood donations would be announced. He suggested that they move to the mess hall where information about the Colonel would be released when available.

Forty minutes later, the surgical doors opened once more. This time, a weary Dr. Beckett appeared. As he threw his surgical mask and hair cover in the bin outside the doors, he knew without looking up that the Colonel's friends would all be waiting. He ran his fingers through his hair as he approached the group.

Carson engaged each of their eyes in turn as a slight smile started on his face. "The Colonel sure is a tough bugger. It took us a while to stabilize him. His dehydrated, malnourished state compromised his ability to fight the shock his injuries manifested." Carson drew a breath and slowly let it out. "Stabilizing him was tough. He's exhausted, physically and mentally. I cant tell you he's out of danger at this point."

"Carson, what are you saying? Will John pull through? Elizabeth asked, not sure she wanted to hear the answer.

"Aye, I know ya want me ta say he'll be fine and dandy, but he's not out of the woods. We are rehydrating him and giving him blood, supporting him in every way possible. Look, we all know John's not a quitter-I have faith he will find the reserve needed ta stay with us."

"What did Kolya do to him?" Rodney asked the question they all wanted an answer to.

"Well, besides the dehydration and malnutrition, which could have been worse-luckily its seems he was given water and food at least once. He suffered several beatings resulting in severe bruising. Cracked ribs, bruised organs and his kidney function was low, bordering on causing a toxic reaction. He's being dialysed as we speak."

He paused. Clearly exhausted himself, he sat before his legs gave out.

"Carson, we are so sorry! We are so worried about John, we overlooked your obvious exhaustion." Teyla apologised to the weary physician.

"Ack- thankyou Teyla, all of you...it has been a long week, hasnt it? Let me finish, then I will need to go back and check on John before I can rest."  
>Carson knew he couldnt rest if he left this caring group without hope.<p>

"Again, we know John is a fighter-so keep that in mind. His jaw was dislocated and broken and has been surgically screwed into place from the inside. He wont be able to open his mouth for several weeks. For now he is also on ventilation so his body doesnt have to work so hard." He suffered concussion from the blows, but thankfully no complications have surfaced due to that.

"The other major injury was his foot as it was impaled by the tree branch. Several of his metatarsal bones were broken and there was extensive tissue damage. Infection will be the biggest threat here. In his compromised condition, well-I cant make any garantees, even with the best antibiotics we have."

Carson paused as his audience took in the information he just supplied. He sighed and continued.

"His other injuries include numerous burn marks from some kind of electrical device, and various cuts and gashes...ack-evidently he was whipped. They are problematic due to the infection factor, we had to put a number of stitches in and with antibiotics and minimal debriding, they should all heal well, with minimal scarring. Deep contusions all over his torso and thighs show blunt force trauma only time will heal."

With the lightening of the heavy load the information had been, Carson stood. "I need to go back to check on John. Once he is settled, you all may see him-one at a time. And before anyone asks, one of ya may sit with him. Talk to him. He needs to know he is safe. Hearing your familar voices will hopefully get through and reassure him."

Elizabeth and Teyla both hugged Carson, while Ronon, Rodney and Lorne patted him on the shoulder to show their appreciation. Carson felt their comaradie and knew they would all do their part to make sure John knew he was safe.

Lorne left to go to the mess hall where he sent the concerned residents so he could tell them John was holding his own, if not out of the woods yet. While there, he would collect coffee and tea to take back to the infirmary for his friends as they sat vigil.

TBC let's all pray for John's recovery-seems precarious! At least Kolya's safe in the Atlantis prison.


	12. Chapter 12

Renegade Revenge Chapter twelve

The pain in his chest had increased in conjunction with the increase in his fury. His hatred for John Sheppard and all of Atlantis were the only things keeping him from fully being aware of his own physical discomfort. He was sweating profusely and he could feel his heart constricting with each beat.

A sharp stab of pain had Kolya clutching his chest, as he fell to the floor. Not one of his men in the same cell reacted to their downed leader. Kolya lay on the floor gasping in agony as his heart neared its last beat. His gaze lifted to take in the men he had recruited, settling on his SIC. As he watched, the man he called his second, turned his back to shun Kolya and watched as each of the other men turned their backs to their former leader. This was the final insult. Kolya took his last breath, feeling the weight of complete dishonor bestowed upon him.

News of Kolya's death made its way around the Atlantis circuit before his body was even cold. The urge to celebrate was dampened by the reality that the their CO was still fighting for his life in the infirmary. Silent prayers for his well-being were shared by all.

Rodney was sitting with Sheppard when the news came. Once Rodney let the news sink in, he decided that if John could hear him, this news would be welcomed. "John, its Rodney. You've been asleep for a long time. I know Carson said you need to rest, but you've got alot of friends wishing you'd wake up. You're safe, John, back on Atlantis. Carson's taking good care of you, as always..I just got some news you'll find comforting. John-Kolya's dead. Yep-Kolya died not long ago. Carson thinks a heart attack got him, he's planning an autopsy for later today for confirmation."

John had been swirling in a drug-induced, pain-free fog, somewhere between awake and slumber. He heard people talking, unable to decipher exact words, actually not caring enough to even try to become more coherent. His limbo interrupted with miniscule moments of awareness when he was touched and when the occasional word came through. Then he heard the words "Kolya" and "dead" which definitely broke through the hazy barrier. He forced his consciousness to surface, which was no small feat.

As Rodney talked to John, he saw the stir of movement behind his friends eyelids as he mentioned Kolya's fate. He called for Carson to come. As Carson arrived, John's eyes slit open and they heard a groan escape his throat. He blinked away the confusion he felt to focus his eyes on Rodney.

Rodney's smile said volumes. "Hi, John...You're safe, John. Back in Atlantis, in the infirmary. Carson's here, the rest of the team waiting their turn to sit with you. John-Kolya's dead...gone...you're safe."

Carson spoke up then as he noted the increase in his patient's blood pressure and heart rate. "Aye, Colonel...you just rest now. You're on the mend, we need you to concentrate on getting well again. We'll be here when you wake again, be sure of that.

John had heard the words right. "Kolya was dead" He thought he would be ecstatic at hearing those words. Maybe it was the drugs, but maybe it was his own guilt he felt for the sixty five Genii soldier's he had killed and been made to partially be punished for. He felt restless with that thought before he could think no more and exhaustion claimed him once again.

TBC So-I killed off Kolya-but left him with no honor as his men shunned him. What do you think? Let me know! 


	13. Chapter 13

Renegade Revenge Chapter thirteen

John woke slowly, a low groan alerting his visitor. Teyla shifted forward in her chair and a huge smile lit her face as she awaited the Colonel's awakening, hopefully this time -all the way to alertness. The instruments measuring a myriad of medical information from his prone body alerted the nurse on duty as who then informed Dr Beckett.

Several minutes passed as Carson checked vitals and Teyla turned to him, a look of concern on her face. "Dr. Beckett, should he take this long to wake up?"

"Auk-Teyla, call me Carson, will you, luv?" Carson continued his examination of his most frequent patient. " I think this time, the Colonel is mustering the strength to visit with us for a bit."

"John, its Dr Beckett...come on, Colonel-open yer eyes. I've got a pretty lady here anxious to say hello." He lifted an eyelid and flashed his penlight over the eye. The expected flinch made Carson smile. "There ya go, come on. You can do it."

John fought to open his eyes. The intrusive bright light helped to stir him into wakefulness. His eyelids finally opened, but his eyes wouldnt focus. A series of blinks lubricated enough for him to begin to make things out. The ceiling of the infirmary-check. The privacy curtain surrounding his bed-check. The smiling face of the pretty lady Carson referred to-check.

He tried to talk but his jaw wouldnt move, so he wasnt sure if his words were intelligent enough. "Hi Tey a, are ou a righ?" He had noticed tears streaming down her face. What had happened to make her cry?

Teyla was taken aback. "John, I am fine, much better now that you are awake! We have all been so worried for you." Carson put himself in John's line of sight.  
>" Colonel, welcome back! Ya was rescued three days ago. You've had some surgery ta repair some damage, we'll talk about that when you're stronger, okay?<p>

John didnt have the energy to respond, but his dry mouth was starting to bother him. "Wa er?" John 's pleading eyes tugged at Teyla's heart. It was Carson who responded.

"Aye, John-a wee bit. You have a broken jaw, which we have wired in alignment. There's space enough for a straw to pass through." As he brought a cup with a straw close to John and positioned the straw in his mouth, he instructed. "Now, Colonel-suck on the straw slowly. Its gonna hurt a bit til you get the hang of it. The main thing is ta go slow. We dont need you nauseous at this point."

John had no choice but to suck slowly. It hurt like hell just drawing up enough to spill over into his mouth. He grunted with the discomfort and frustration.  
>"It'll get easier with practice." Carson assured him, as he picked up something off the tray beside the bed. "This will help til then" He unwrapped a swab and proceeded to run it around inside John's wired mouth.<p>

"This is a glycerin swab. It will help with the dryness. Ya just put it in ya mouth and run it round, the liquid will soothe ya mouth. I'll have a stack of them put by your bed. You can use them as often as you need." John fully appreciated the swabs purpose and he sighed in relief.

"Get some more rest, Colonel." Teyla squeezed his hand as Carson patted his shoulder. He needed no more prompting, as he slipped back into a deep sleep.

The next day, John was released from the ICU and downgraded to the regular infirmary ward where he would now occupy the hospital bed that was pretty much designated as his own, seeing as to how often he spent time in the infirmary.

John had woken up to a bit of commotion as wires were detached, IV lines were secured and the pain of movement as he was transferred from one bed to the other. His sense of helplessness kicked up a notch and his frustration was plain to see, as well as the discomfort he felt from being physically manhandled. Carson ordered an extra dose of pain meds to alleviate his discomfort.

John remained awake enough to see his team come in for a visit. Now that he was in the regular ward, all three would be able to visit together, at least until Carson ordered them out. Ronon reached him first and gave him a huge grin.  
>"Hey" was all he could say for now, just glad to see his friend on the mend.<p>

Teyla was next as she bent her head forward to lightly touch his in turn. She whispered her joy at seeing him awake and alert. Her smile saying so much more.

Rodney was his typical self. "Well-its about time! Colonel Slumber has finally decided to join us again! More solemnly, Rodney added. "Its good to see you awake and on the mend. We've missed you." Rodney tapped his leg, then dragged a chair over with one hand, his laptop in the other. Ronon grabbed two more chairs. Teyla settled in one, he slouched into the other. John took in the sight of his team and was comforted by their friendship.

One thing weighed on his mind though, so just to confirm what he thought he had heard Rodney say, he asked, "Kolya...dead?"

Rodney saw the frown formed by John's pleading look hoping he hadnt dreamed that particular event. Rodney grasped John's forearm, careful not to involve any IV lines, "John-Kolya is dead. Dr Biro performed the autopsy a few hours ago and confirmed he died of a massive heart attack."

John closed his eyes in relief and nodded. He didnt mind the comforting thoughts he felt knowing Kolya wouldnt be out there gunning for him anymore. Along with alertness, came the reduction of the good drugs. He could now inventory every single pain, dull or sharp. He felt like he had been run over by a hundred stampeding horses. The sharpest, most constant pain was that in his foot. He didnt remember what had happened, but the bandages and drains he could see covering his propped up foot meant something major.

"Wha appened ta my foot?" he asked no one in particular as he waited for an answer. Teyla and Ronon looked at one another, while Rodney stopped typing and looked up. Perhaps they didnt understand him through his wired jaw, so he tried again, slowly. "Wha ha en my foot?"

Teyla explained. "John, as you ran through the woods during your escape from Kolya a tree branch went through your foot. Dr Carson is trying his best to keep the infection down." What she had no intentions of telling him, was that the infection was winning and Carson was considering amputation to keep the infection from spreading.

John saw the concern in her eyes, and though he wanted to pursue it, his strength was gone. Teyla was thankful when he didnt press her for more detail. "Rest, John. Rest will help you heal. We will be here when you wake."

TBC Well, John is on the mend, though the foot may be a problem...let's hope Carson can think of something before its too late!


	14. Chapter 14

Renegade Revenge Chapter fourteen

John had lost much weight during his captivity and even now as Carson struggled to get the Colonel to suck his meals through a straw, his weight remained below par. Protein drinks, milkshakes, pudding and ice cream made up most of the meals offered. Besides the physical difficulty of using a straw with a broken jaw, John grew tired of the sweet tastes as he had never been a dessert lover, but was more of a meat and potato man.. The kitchen help were actually holding competitions for the most tasty, nutritious meals they could blend together for the Colonel to try. So far the turkey/mash potato/stuffing/cranberry blend was the winner. John actually was being a good sport trying all the different concoctions.

All in all, Carson was pleased with John's healing and pleased his spirits were mostly up, thanks to the anti-depressant Carson talked John into taking , at least while infirmed. Carson was worried that post traumatic stress syndrome might set in and depression would only prolong healing. But Carson's main concern was the damned foot wound. Chronic inflammation had set in and it was a daily struggle to keep the infection localized. If things didnt improve, Carson was afraid drastic measures may be warranted.

An exhausted Carson sat dozing at his desk, when he jerked awake, with the answer he had been searching for. Excitedly, he radioed Rodney. "Rodney, I need ta see you and Zelenka in my office-now!"

Rodney looked up at Zelenka, a brief moment of silence, followed by a mad dash by both as they exited the lab room at a run towards the infirmary. Rodney was worried something had happened to John, but why would Carson ask Zelenka to come too?

As they reached the infirmary doors, they peered in and saw nothing out of the ordinary. Sheppard's privacy curtain was drawn, but no undue activity there. Rodney gulped as they made their way to Carson's office.

"Rodney, Zelenka...I need your help! Ya know the Colonel's foot wound is being stubborn in its healin' and if we dont get a handle on it, he's gonna lose the foot. Now, I'm thinkin' about a wound therapy using hyperbaric chambers to combat deep infection. If we can convert, say a stasis pod, into a hyperbaric chamber-it just might make the difference! Can ya do it?

Rodney and Zelenka grinned at one another, and then at Carson. "I dont see a problem-give us an hour or so...Both scientists were already heading out of the lab. Carson smiled, knowing they would make this happen. Carson had been avoiding telling John the dire consequences the wound was forcing him to consider.

As Rodney and Zelenka readied the pod, Carson called Teyla, Ronon, Elizabeth and Lorne to the infirmary. John was awake, but in obvious distress,even with the maximum dose of pain reliever Carson dare give him. As they gathered around his bed, John could see their concern. They all feared the worst, that Carson was going to tell John about the amputation and they were summoned as moral support.

Carson joined them and with an encouraging smile, he clasped his hands together and began to explain his hopes using the hyperbaric chamber. "Hyperbaric Therapy has been used for quite some time now. I hadnt considered it, due to the Colonel's extensive injuries, but now he is stronger and they are healing well-this therapy may actually help them heal better too."

"Hyperbaric Therapy involves placing the patient in a chamber that is flooded with pure oxygen at a rate of 10-15 % higher than normal. Hyper-oxygenated blood travels to the wound site enhancing tissue regeneration. It also improves the immune system and is very effective. Rodney and Zelenka are converting a stasis pod as we speak."

Elizabeth interrupted, "Carson-why couldnt you use this before? I dont undedrstand!"

"The Colonel's internal injuries would have been compromised by the compression and decompression phases necessary during the treatment. It would have done more harm, than good. Colonel, you have improved enough that I feel confident that this would benefit you overall-but mostly the foot wound.

John tried to take in what Carson was saying. "Wha happens if Ro-ney cant co vert the pod? Wha other o-tions do I have?"

"The only other option, I know you wouldnt want... Carson sighed heavily, "is amputation." John was stunned by the finality he heard in Carson voice. "oookay, so the cham-er it is! When...start?" John mumbled through his wired jaw.

"As soon as Rodney says its ready. We cannot wait much longer." Carson patted John on the shoulder. The minutes clicked by, noone spoke, as they waited for word from Rodney.

Movement in the hallway caught Marie, the charge nurse's attention and she smiled as she escorted the newly enhanced stasis pod into the infirmary. Rodney and Zelenka proudly pushing the hastily built chamber.

" Carson, all we need are oxygen tanks hooked up and she's ready to go." Rodney explained as he handled the oxygen port expectantly. The floor nurse brought over a large cylinder of pure oxygen and Rodney attached it to the chamber.

"Okay then, Colonel are you ready? There is no preparation, we just need to get ya settled inside. The treatment will last an hour with a 5 minute compression time before and a 5 minute decompression time after. The most common side effect is your ears may have pressure build up, so I suggest for the five minutes before and after, swallow as much as you can since you can't yawn with ya jaw set."

John nodded his 'go ahead'...his jaw pain was rising with the tension he felt. He hoped this worked, he wasnt too keen on losing his foot.

Once settled inside the chamber, Carson instructed John to just breathe slowly and evenly. He could even sleep during the treatment. The first five minutes of compression felt like an hour. The pressure in his ears did indeed increase and swallowing barely kept the pressure pain away. He wanted to open and close his mouth so bad. Just when he felt he couldnt handle it, the pressure slacked off. A tingly grew throughout his body, like the feel of freshly fallen snow on warmed skin. It wasnt unpleasant and actually felt refreshing.

With nothing to do, John grew bored and drifted off to sleep. Tapping on the stasis window woke John. Carson stood above him and indicated that the 5 minute decompression was about to begin and reminded John to swallow away the ear discomfort.

Once free of the chamber and settled back into bed, John had to admit he felt better than he had before. Carson examined his foot and was encouraged by the pinking up of the near gangrenous tissue from before.

"Okay, Colonel...I'm not expectin' miracles here, but I can see slight improvement to the damaged tissue. You gonna need several treatments before a marked improvement is seen, but this looks promising!" Carson's dimples were made deeper by the smile he wore. John nodded, "Thanks, Doc...I owe you big 'ime...I dont wanna think bout the o'her o-tion."

Carson squeezed John's shoulder. "Aye, laddie...let's hope these treatments do the job. How do your ears feel, any pain?" John swallowed and luckily his ears seemed to be fine. "Carson noticed John's hesitation before he gave a thumbs up sign, so he picked up the otoscope and peered into his ears. "A bit of swelling, I'll prescribe some drops to make you more comfortable. Get some more rest Colonel." John did just that, as he closed his eyes.

TBC There's hope for John's full recovery yet! (Bare with me when I have John "talk"-remember his jaw is wired shut and though while he can semi talk, he's having difficult forming word!) 


	15. Chapter 15

Renegade Revenge Chapter fifteen

With John continuing to improve with the hyperbaric treatments, Elizabeth and Lorne turned their attentions toward their prisoner's fate. With Kolya gone the IOA wanted the lot sent to Earth to be dealt with as terrorists, while Radim insisted their fate be decided by the Genii as defectors.  
>Over the course of their stay in the Atlantis prison, two distinct groups surfaced among the regime. Violence ensued and the two factions had to be physically separate into different cells.<p>

Since their imprisonment, Tev Qaisan, alias 'Mr Lead Man' had become the leader for the group of hardcore revenge seekers. While shunning Kolya for using them to affect his own vendetta, they still believed in retribution.

The other group, with Pieter as their spokesman, felt justice had been served, angry at being conned by Kolya into believing revenge was their right. They viewed the 'punishment' of Colonel Sheppard was dishonorable and regretted their role in his capture and torture.

The decision to send Qaisan's group to Earth to receive military sentences- charged as terrorists, was made. Due to the secrecy of the SGC program, they would be kept in solitary confinement for the duration, as yet to be determined.  
>They were shipped out on the Deadalus the previous night.<p>

The second group would be released to the Genii to receive their punishment, though due to their remorse, it would be less harsh. Pieter asked if they might be able to speak to Colonel Sheppard before they were handed over to the Genii. Elizabeth was surprised at the request and decided that John should make that decision himself.

John was surprised too, but for his own sense of closure, he needed to see it through, so he agreed on meeting Pieter and the others. He was strong enough now, the hyperbaric therapy had worked wonders for his foot and his overall health. He insisted on meeting the prisoners face to face.

Carson balked at the Colonel's plans to meet the prisoners in their cell. But finally conceded with a plan of his own. The Colonel was allowed out of the infirmary in a wheelchair, outside the prison room he would be allowed crutches. After the meet, he was to return to the infirmary straight away.

A hot shower, shave and fresh BDU's had John feeling almost normal. His foot now was bandaged minus the many drains and wore a boot to protect it from getting bumped. He hated the wheelchair, but had to admit he'd never make it to the prison cells any other way.

Once outside the door, Ronon handed him the crutches and helped John stand and ready himself. Lorne entered first, calling the SO's on duty to attention. As Colonel Sheppard entered, they saluted him and stood at attention.

What happened next surprised them all. The prisoner group rose together and stood at attention and saluted the Colonel also. Sheppard was stunned into silence by the act of respect. Pieter took the lead. "Permission to speak, sir"

John studied the young soldier who essentially saved his life. "You are Pieter Audlan?" The young man nodded, "Yes, sir. May I...?" Sheppard nodded for him to continue.

"What you said, that first day after your capture, when you defended your actions as a soldier of war, doing your duty in defending your home, doing what needed to be done to resist any attempt of a enemy hostile takeover. You did everything you could do, everything each one of us would do, if we had been in your place. As soldiers, we respect that. Your people are lucky to have such a devoted soldier." Pieter cleared his throat before continuing on. "That said, each one of us lost a family member that day...but as casualties of war, we must respect and honor them. Revenge is fruitless and quite frankly, each of us has learned how cowardly and despicable it really is. My brother would not be happy with my actions against you. Soldier to soldier, we must respect what you did and live with the consequences."

He drew himself up straight. "We are not proud of what Kolya did to you or the part each of us played. We do not ask your forgiveness and accept our fate as you deem fit."

John was humbled by the soldiers' revelations. For so long he had wanted to acknowledge the guilt he felt at taking so many lives that day. But there was nothing he could say, it was over. Each one of them, himself included,would live with the consequences for the choices they made. John stood at attention and saluted the group, making eye contact with each one. His eyes held on Pieter and a nod of thanks passed to the young man. He then turned and walked out. The silence, a solemn reminder of what had just taken place.

Once out, John collapsed into the wheelchair. Noone said anything. Instead, Lorne and the accompanying guard, stood tall as they escorted their commander back to the infirmary. Ronon was silent as he reflected back on what had just occurred. He shook his head in amazement. John Sheppard was quite a man, he was glad he had chosen to stay on Atlantis, glad he had chosen this man as his friend.

TBC well-what do you think? Too corny? Wasnt sure I wrote this the way I intended-let me know what you think!


	16. Chapter 16

Renegade Revenge Chapter sixteen

In the three weeks that had passed since the rescue of Colonel Sheppard, Chancellor Pontu had been in regular contact with Elizabeth. Getting updates on his condition on a regular basis. He was anxious to visit with the Colonel. He and his people felt horrible for allowing Kolya's man to be "planted" among them, performing the duty of a patrolman, privvy to information that lead to the Colonel's capture.

"Elizabeth, is Colonel Sheppard up to visitors yet? On behalf of my people and my own personal request, I would like very much to visit with the Colonel. I have a present for him, a token of my sincere regret for what he went through..."

"Chancellor, Colonel Sheppard has inquired about your status also. He actually would be pleased if you came through for a visit. He would like both you and your wife to come." Elizabeth held no grievance against the Lafodi, nor did John. They were innocent pawns in Kolya's sick game.

"Very well, yes indeed! Ah-I will need help with the gift for Colonel Sheppard. I can have men from the village help bring it through?" The Chancellor inquired.

"Oh! Ah-no offense Chancellor but due to security measures only you and your wife will be permitted through. Perhaps I can send some of our men to help you with that..." Elizabeth was curious as to what this gift was, needing several men to carry it.

"That would be wonderful, Elizabeth. Your men can come now, if they are ready, as the gift is ready, I need only summon Elke to join me, she will be thrilled to be included! Thankyou!"

"I will send a team of soldiers to help with the gift in a few moments. See you shortly after that! " Elizabeth smiled at the Chancellor's obvious delight. She was sure his first concern was John's well-being, but she was also sure visiting Atlantis was a highlight too.

Twenty minutes after sending the soldiers to Lafodi, the gate activated. Sargeant Stackhouse requested permission to return with said gift and the Chancellor and his wife in tow. If she hadnt mistaken it, a tone of envy accompanied the request.

One soldiers came through bearing what looked like an ornate headboard. Another carried boards and slats that constituted the bed frame. Two soldiers then came through with a mattress of feather down that looked like it was made in heaven. The Sargeant carried a huge bag full of luxurious linens. Everyone oohed and aahhed over the lusciousness of the padding without the benefit of touch. Elizabeth chuckled enviously...Chancellor Pontu sure knew how to make amends!

She gathered herself and met the Chancellor and his wife, Elke as they came through the gate. They were awed by the sights that met them. "We are so humbled that you allow us to come visit. After what has happened, your trust must be on guard. We regret that immensely, Atlantis has always been so good to us."

Elizabeth wanted the Chancellor to get over his guilt as it did neither one of them any favors. "Chancellor Pontu, Elke-greetings! Please not another word of regret. I think we have all learned not to trust strangers. And strangers-you are definitely not. Our loyalty to those we call friends is unwavering. Lafodi are considered dear friends, as we hope we are to you. Come and enjoy a brief tour...Colonel Sheppard is in treatment and it will be a little while before he can receive visitors. He is looking forward to your visit!"

"Sargeant Stackhouse, will you please supervise the set up of the bed in Colonel Sheppard's quarters?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yes, ma'am" Sgt Stackhouse started to direct the men towards the Colonel's living quarters.

"And Sargeant-mums the word-lets make this a surprise for the Colonel..."

"Yes, ma'am!, " the Sargeant chuckled and shook his head. After what his CO had gone through, no one would deny him this extra special treat. He secretly couldnt wait to test the bed himself-once it was assembled!

Sargeant Stackhouse felt like the Pied Piper as he and his team shuffled the bed components along towards Colonel Sheppard's room. A flock of service personnel and civilians followed along as curious onlookers. Surprisingly the bed was put together really quickly.

"Hey Sarge-cant we all have one quick test? " The Sargeant couldnt deny that he was thinking the same thing. "Okay-but no one, and I mean no one-puts their feet on the bed! A quick turn, thats all... " With that, a line formed and as each one lie back in the bed, there was an audible "ahhhhh" that accompanied it...As each person had a turn, they were sworn to secrecy. They were all envious, but all knew the cost the Colonel had paid to be awarded such a gift.

John greeted the Chancellor and his wife from his hospital bed. Their visit was warm and friendly, with the Chancellor apologizing yet again. Pontu was grateful to see that his friend was still his smirky self, quick to laugh, despite the restriction his jaw injury presented. When it was apparent that John was tiring, Elke caught her husband's eye. He was amazed the man had lasted this long in their visit. They bid farewell, confirming a visit from John to come back to Lafodi as soon as he was able to travel. John was pleased with their visit and was fast asleep with exhaustion before his visitors had even made it back to the gateroom. Elizabeth met them and saw them off, with promises to visit soon.

Arguments to be released from the infirmary 'prison' fell on deft ears though Carson was pleased with the Colonel's progress, and figured in another day-he would be ready to be released. All his injuries had healed well, and thanks to the chamber treatments only one or two lashes had been deep enough to cause scarring. His foot was half way healed and would still need careful scrutiny, hence Carson's overprotective stance for John to remain in the infirmary a day longer.

The next day, Carson was ready to release John to his quarters.  
>"Teyla, is everything ready?" Elizabeth inquired.<p>

"Yes, Elizabeth-I think John will be quite pleased." Teyla smiled, anticipating John's reaction. Teyla, Ronon,Zelenka, and Lorne were standing expectantly around Sheppard's room.

"How much do you think he'd want for this?" Rodney lay snuggled on the thick feather down mattress covered in fine linens.

"Rodney, if I have to drag you off that bed, your head will roll" snarled Ronon.

"Ok, ok...getting up..." Rodney sighed in contempt. Once he was out, Teyla fussed to straighten the bed linens once more. Just in time, as the door opened, revealing John in the wheelchair being pushed by Carson, Elizabeth in tow...

"I won nered where you guys were! Why you in my room?" He was suspicious of the smirky smiles they each wore. " Wha' going on? He cursed his wired jaw-he couldnt talk and eat normally! Before he could wallow in self-pity, his team directed his sight to the ornately, dressed, most inviting bed only his dreams had conjured. His eyes were round with surprise. "Wha...?"

Elizabeth explained the gift Chancellor Pontu had insisted he receive. "Its all yours, John. We're all so happy for you-and envious!" They all laughed.

"Yow-I wan ned one of these! Ronon helped him from the chair to the bed. As he sunk into the cloud of downy feathers, an audible "aaaahhhhhh" was heard. They all chuckled.

"Now, Colonel-I guess I wont have any problem with you getting plenty of bed rest-finally! We'll leave you now, so you can rest." Carson squeezed his shoulder and then simply said, "Enjoy!" They all filed out, leaving John floating towards a blissful sleep.

Kolya was dead, his injuries were healed or healing, he had the best of friends-family really, here on Atlantis and now more friends offworld. The Pegasus Galaxy threw them alot of curve balls, but for now-for today-he let all his worries float away...

Fin

Well, hope you liked it! This story evolved and changed so much over the course. Some helpful hints from you all (you know who you are) helped me a bunch! Thanks so much! Thanks for all who reviewed along the way or for those who waited til the end (hint, hint!) I want to say thank goodness for SGA fanfiction...SGA was my fave show (John Sheppard my fave guy, if you hadnt figured that out already!) and I still cant fathom why they cancelled this most excellent show! Anyway, through fanfic stories from really excellent writers , these stories keep SGA alive! My best to you all!


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